"Where did you get that dog?" The harsh voice breaks through their mumbled recount to Snuffles of a particularly annoying conversation with Moody that had devolved quickly into slagging off Lucius Malfoy.
They startle badly (not to mention embarrassingly, Merlin if Moody had seen that…) at the intrusion and turn to see a shabbily dressed, angry faced man standing much too close. Snuffles whines, backs up behind me and tugs a little on my trouser leg.
Snuffles has been doing better around strangers lately, even to the point of accepting a treat from the bird lady outside Tonks' favourite cafe, and this seems more personal than all previous incidents; never before had he tried to make them leave.
Snuffles knew this stranger, they can feel it. And from the way he was glaring down at their dog he knew Snuffles too.
Charlie's leading theory about Snuffles' past had been that he'd been in a fighting ring. Charlie had had a lot to say about fighting rings.
Tonks has been silent too long, they have to say something. "I adopted him. Why?"
The stranger seems surprised by how icy their voice is.
"I uh, think I know him."
That's….kinda a weird way to talk about a dog, but perhaps it's just Tonks' suspicion metre rising.
"Yeah?" They scowl and come to a decision; if Snuffles recognises whatever name he gives then they'll leave. Immediately. "What's his name then?"
"Padfoot." He almost snarls it. Tonks feels the hairs on the back of their head rise.
Snuffles gives a mournful whine that is almost worse than his howling earlier that month, and slinks in front of them almost protectively.
"Brave boy." They whisper warmly, reaching down to grip his collar, and mistakenly dropping eye-contact with the stranger.